The Sweet side of Soap Making

There are as many fragrances as there scents in the air. Each fragrance has a purpose. Some are meant to entice, others to lull somebody to sleep. The same way every kind of food brings in new sensations to the taste buds, fragrances also bring in new sensations to the feel of the soap and the user's sense of smell.

In soap, fragrance is the hidden ingredient that attracts the person to use it mainly for luxury rather than utilitarian purposes. Fragrance is the soap's hidden accessory and the selection of it can tell much about a person's personality and preferences.

Fragrances can be natural or synthetic. But technically, fragrance oil is a combination of both natural and synthetic ingredients. A perfumer, or a person specializing in scents, usually conjures up new scents aside from the usual scents meant to imitate nature's works such as lavender, strawberries or eucalyptus. Other popular natural scents include those that imitate flower scents such as lilac, gardenia, honeysuckle, jasmine or carnation. There are those that imitate fruits such as apple, orange, cherry or lemon. And those that follow spices such as cinnamon, clove, peppermint and others.

Fragrance companies have their own Signature scents. Designer fragrances are becoming popular nowadays. Abercrombie and Fitch, Estee Lauder, Dolce and Gabbana fragrances among others are being used for soap. There are also those that come completely from the perfumer's own concept and blends. Websites such as www.wellingtonfragrances.com show off their company fragrances such as African Rain, Nature's Garden, Pralines and Cream and Sugar Cookie.

For those who want a more natural feel to their soap, essential oils are recommended. Unlike fragrance oils, essential oils are derived from nature alone wherein the 'essence' of a plant is extracted. The different parts of the plant all form different oils such as that of the bark, leaf, root, seeds, wood and others. Like other things organic, essential oils are usually more expensive as it takes more amount of natural ingredient to form a small amount of essential oil. Through distillation for example, it takes 2,000 pounds of rose petals to form only a pound of essential oil. A lot of professional soap makers attest through that essential oil leaves a more long lasting aroma.

Experimenting with these oils is a good way to customize your own scent. By combining strong oils to the average essential oils, you may find a scent that will fit your style more than the ones readily available in the market.